Anyone with a 2 1/2 year old that has stopped napping?

skibunny59

For the past 2 months or so, my DD has been fighting naps.  I used to have no problem putting her down between 12:30 and 1 and she would sleep about 2 or 2 1/2 hours.  Lately she just does not seem tired around nap time.  It is a battle everyday.  I am usually in her room for an hour to an hour and a half trying to get her down.  I've always laid down with her in her toddler bed to get her to sleep which I never minded because it never took long for her to go to sleep.  Now I get so frustrated with her, loose my patience and end up yelling at her and not feeling like a very good mommy.  She rarely falls asleep before 2pm.  Today she fell asleep at 3:15.

These late naps are becoming a problem.  I go back to work in a few weeks and I usually pick her up from my mom's at 3.  I can't have her falling asleep close to 3.  And when she falls asleep so late, I usually wake her up at 4 so as not to mess up bedtime.  Even so, she's usually not tired until 9:30 whereas she used to go down between 8-8:30.

I feel like she's young to stop napping altogether but on the days where we skip nap because we are at a party or out doing something special, she's really not bad at all.  And it is much easier to get her to bed and she is usually out by 7:30 and sleeps well at night.  I'm just not sure what to do.  Most people I know who's kids are older than her (3 or 4) still nap.  My mom was telling me though that I stopped napping when I was about her age.

skibunny59

I also wanted to add that on days that we skip nap, although she is good she will pass out in the car.  For example, last week we met some friends at the beach and didn't get home until 5 or so.  She passed out in the car on the 15 minute drive home.  I woke her when we got home because I really didn't want her napping at 5 and she was not very happy with me.

sunnyday016

We are pretty much in the same boat. DS ends up napping most days, but usually doesn't fall asleep until 2-3pm. It can take him over an hour to fall asleep. He usually isn't upset, I can just hear him up there playing with his loveys and stuffed animals.

It is crazy to me that he could be ready to drop them when my 5.5 year old still naps 2 hours daily (and needs them!) She starts kindergarten in a week and a half...should be interesting to see how it goes without a nap.

Emerald27

DS will be 3 in October and he still naps for 2+ hours every day. Some days he takes a bit of time to wind down, but I darken the room and tell him he needs to be quiet, and then lay with him until he falls asleep. I totally get the impatience thing, though! Some days it's really rough.

What helped us was moving naptime to 2:00pm, and playing very actively after lunch and before nap. Also, we often read a book in bed before turning off the light for nap, to help us calm down.

She may need a later nap (2:00pm) or she may just benefit from dropping the nap and moving bedtime back a bit. After a week of an earlier bedtime and no nap, she will probably have adjusted fine and not fall asleep in the car anymore. Routine changes like that take some getting used to.

ashiscute

She's young to be done napping but not crazy young.  My DD is 3.5 and still naps about half the time.  How does she go down for a nap when you are at work?  Does your mom lay down with her as well or is that only what you do?  Is she in a twin bed or a crib still?

Personally, I'd still do your routine but put her down for a nap and walk out.  Give her access to books and stuffed animals and see what she does.  I would try to do this between 130- 2 versus 1230- 1.  

FabulousMrs.P

My DD is also totally fighting naps right now. Most days she doesn't fall asleep. I just put her up in her bed and tell her she to have some quiet time. She usually lays there in bed and looks at books or sings. I would say every 4th or 5th day she falls asleep. I figure even if she isn't sleeping, she is at least having some quiet time to recharge her batteries.

skibunny59

ashiscute said:

She's young to be done napping but not crazy young.  My DD is 3.5 and still naps about half the time.  How does she go down for a nap when you are at work?  Does your mom lay down with her as well or is that only what you do?  Is she in a twin bed or a crib still?

Personally, I'd still do your routine but put her down for a nap and walk out.  Give her access to books and stuffed animals and see what she does.  I would try to do this between 130- 2 versus 1230- 1.  

The problem is, she freaks out if I try to leave.  Today I tried just leaving her for a minute, then 2 minutes, then 3 minutes and each time I would come back and check on her.  It worked ok but it took a lot of convincing for her to let me leave.  She didn't end up napping but at least I didn't feel like a prisoner in her room and I didn't feel frustrated with her like I had been feeling.

I just tried it again for bedtime and it just didn't work.  She refused to stay in her bed and kept coming out of her room to get me.  She didn't even last a minute in her room by herself.  I thought she would be wiped out since she didn't nap today but she still ended up not falling asleep until 8:45.  I don't know what's wrong with this kid but I am about to lose it.  She is such a good kid otherwise but I just really hate what naptime and bedtime have become.